Character name origins
Characters named after their performers thumb|300px The Muppets * Betsy Bird - named after Betsy Baytos * Cynthia Birdley - named after Cynthia Adler * Fletcher Bird - named after Graham Fletcher * Frank - a Frank Oz lookalike * Jerry - a Jerry Nelson lookalike * Jim- a Jim Henson lookalike * Lou - named after Louise Gold Sesame Street * Big Jeffy - named after Jeff Moss * Jeffy - named after Jeff Moss * Calypso Calloway - named after Northern Calloway * Chrissy - named after Christopher Cerf * Little Chrissy - named after Christopher Cerf * Davey Monkey - named after David Rudman * Fran - named after Fran Brill * Miss Fran - named after Fran Brill * Farmer Frankie - named after Frank Oz * Frances Oznowicz - named after Frank Oz * Little Jerry - named after Jerry Nelson * Mr. Jerry - named after Jerry Nelson * Joe Marley - named after Joey Mazzarino * Joey Dickens - named after Joey Mazzarino * Joey Monkey - named after Joey Mazzarino * Louisey - named after Louise Gold * Richard - named after Richard Hunt * Rockin' Richard - named after Richard Hunt * Pammy - named after Pam Arciero * Diva D'Abruzzo - named after Stephanie D'Abruzzo * Frank and Jerry - In this sketch , two Muppets are named Frank and Jerry, in reference to their performers, Frank Oz and Jerry Nelson, respectively. * Kevin and Kathryn - In a Professor Grover sketch about school , two classmates are named Kevin and Kathryn, in reference to their performers, Kevin Clash and Kathryn Mullen, respectively. Fraggle Rock * Phil Fraggle - named after Philip Balsam The Animal Show * Dave the Human - Dave Goelz (puppet performed by Bill Barretta) Other * It was originally suggested that Zoe on Sesame Street be named after her performed, Fran Brill. Fran didn't want a puppet named after her, so she suggested naming the puppet Zoe after the J. D. Salinger novel Franny and Zooey.Sesame Street Unpaved, p. 87 Characters named after other people * Bert and Ernie - See Are Bert and Ernie named after characters from It's a Wonderful Life? * Bunsen Honeydew - Named after chemist Robert Bunsen (of bunsen burner fame), and the honeydew melon. * Donnie and Marie Dodo - Named after Donny and Marie Osmond. * Fozzie Bear - see Fozzie's name * Humphrey and Ingrid - Named after Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. * Kermit the Frog - See Was Kermit named after a childhood friend of Jim Henson? * Miss Piggy - Named after Peggy Lee"The Woman Behind Miss Piggy", Anika Gupta, Smithsonian magazine, October 2008. * Mokey - named after a childhood friend of Jim Henson. * Prairie Dawn - named after an actress named Prairie Dorn. * Rizzo - named after Ratso Rizzo from Midnight Cowboy. * Svengali - After a character in George du Maurier's novel Trilby. Characters named after places * Astoria - named after the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. * Belmont - Named after the horse racing track Belmont Park. * The Bouncing Borcellino Brothers - After the Italian hat company Borcellino. * Waldorf - Named after the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. * Wembley - Named after Wembley Stadium. * Signor Baffi - Named after Signor Baffi's Italian restaurant. * Statler - Named after the Statler Hotel in New York City. * Oscar the Grouch - Named after Oscar's Tavern in Manhattan. Characters named after filmmaking techniques * Gobo - Short for "go between"; a lighting term used in film, television and theatre. * Traveling Matt - From "traveling matte," a technique used in television and film to insert a foreground object into a prerecorded background image. * Waldo - After the Waldo, the electronic device used to perform him. Characters whose names are puns right|300px * Abby Cadabby - a play on "abracadabra" * Anne Phibian - a play on "amphibian" * A. Ligator - a play on "aligator" * Bestov Breed - a play on "best of breed" * Gonnigan - a play on "gone again" * Herry Monster - a play on "hairy monster" * Hugh Mungous - a play on "humongous" * Hypocritic Oaf - a play on "hippocratic oath" * Lotta Chatter - a play on "lot of chatter" * Mr. Mason Dixon - a play on "the Mason Dixon line" * Dr. Nobel Price - a play on "Nobel Prize" * Phil Harmonic - a play on "Philharmonic * Sal Minella - a play on "salmonella" * Sopwith the Camel - a play on "Sopwith Camel" * Tatooey Rat - a play on "ratatouille" * Lew Zealand - a play on "New Zealand" Other name origins * Beaker - named after the piece of lab equipment. * Boober - named after an angry cow encountered by one of Jim Henson's daughters in Devon. Sources Category:Behind the Scenes Category:Character Lists Category:Rumors